Long-range gravitational-like interaction in a neutral atomic cold gas

Maryvonne Chalony (1) , J. Barre (2) , B. Marcos (2) , A. Olivetti (2) , David Wilkowski (1, 3, 4)

1 INLN - Institut Non Linéaire de Nice Sophia-Antipolis
2 JAD - Laboratoire Jean Alexandre Dieudonné
3 CQT - Centre for Quantum Technologies [Singapore]
4 Nanyang Technological University [Singapour]

A quasi-resonant laser induces a long-range attractive force within a cloud of cold atoms. We take advantage of this force to build in the laboratory a system of particles with a one-dimensional gravitational-like interaction, at a fluid level of modeling. We give experimental evidences of such an interaction in a cold Strontium gas, studying the density profile of the cloud, its size as a function of the number of atoms, and its breathing oscillations.

Domaines: Physique Atomique [physics.atom-ph]; Mécanique statistique [cond-mat.stat-mech]

Maryvonne Chalony, J. Barre, B. Marcos, A. Olivetti, David Wilkowski. Long-range gravitational-like interaction in a neutral atomic cold gas. 2013. ⟨hal-00666680v3⟩